Car Warranty Call Annoys Senator

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer wants a federal investigation into what he calls "robo-dialer harassment." Spam calls are increasingly frequent all over the country. A computerized voice tells people that their car warranties are about to expire and that they should sign up for new service plans, even if some of them don’t even have a warranty or a car.

"Not only are these calls a nuisance, but they tie up land lines and can eat up a user's cell phone minutes, possibly leading to a higher cell phone bill due to overage charges," said Schumer.

The Better Business Bureau said that last year it received more than 140,000 complaints about the car warranty calls, which come even if a person has signed up for the national Do Not Call registry.

"Some people are losing thousands and thousands of dollars in purchasing a product that turns out to be useless," said Michelle Corey, president of the Better Business Bureau in St. Louis, Missoury.

According to the Associated Press. Corey also said that if people call back and agree to buy policies, the companies often don't let them see the contracts until they agree to pay.

"This is an annoying scam whose perpetrators have found a way around the do-not-call list," Schumer said at a news conference in his Manhattan office. "The FTC has to track them down and then shut them down to put an end to this nuisance once and for all."

Corey, of the Better Business Bureau, said it is often difficult to know who is making the calls because companies change names frequently and use telemarketing subcontractors.

Schumer, who received a call last week, said a federal crackdown is needed. "A few states have tried, but we need national action," he said.